


The Man Under the Mask

by ChangeTheCircumstances



Series: The Sins of an Empire [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Empress!Padme, Evil AU, F/M, Sith AU, sith!Anakin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 15:26:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6860719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChangeTheCircumstances/pseuds/ChangeTheCircumstances
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes Anakin has doubts about his place in the Empire. He has everything he's ever wanted, his wife, his children, power, yet other times he feels more alone than ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Man Under the Mask

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if I'll be able to put up a story for this verse every single day but that is what's happening right now. Anyways, this one is more Anakin centered so please enjoy :)

The Empire knew of Vader, the masked individual that walked behind the Emperor and Empress, the creature that could use the Force and didn’t hesitate to crush anyone that got in his way. What they didn’t know was that it was Anakin Skywalker, husband to the Empress and father to the twins. They didn’t know he only really protected Padmé, and usually from Bail’s own plans. They didn’t know that behind that mask, he had to physically restrain himself from choking the Emperor so very often. They didn’t know that he owned a red bladed lightsaber and was a Sith, one of the most powerful in decades.

They.

Didn’t.

Know.

And it was difficult to say if Luke or Leia did either. They knew their father and they knew Vader but it was hard to tell if they could see it was the same person. Anakin partially didn’t want them to. Vader was a flat slate that held nothing but rage, a persona that was sometimes to easy to slip into. But it was ultimately a guise, one which he put on at the beginning of the day and took off at the end.

Still, he was shocked when he tried to explain it to them and they picked up right away despite only being four years old.

“We knew,” they said in unison. They tended to do that a lot. Padmé found it endearing. Anakin thought it just the slightest bit creepy but the one time he’d said that Padmé had hit him.

But on the topic of Vader, Anakin asked, “How?”

“You feel the same,” Luke said.

Leia nodded. “You act different. Momma said we can’t call you dad when you have the mask too.”

“Well that is right.”

“Why?” they asked together.

“Because they won’t accept me. Not yet. But give it time, soon I’ll be able to walk around without the mask.”

“Good,” Leia replied.

“I like the mask,” said Luke.

Leia swatted at her brother for saying that.

The little tiff didn’t escalate but Anakin had certainly seen times when it had. Both were strong with the Force and Force filled tantrums were certainly something else. It was usually best to let such things run their course as interfering only made the tantrums grow. Still, Anakin did love to watch them, seeing just how much potential his children had. And they _were_ his children, even if he couldn’t show that in public yet.

He already wished for the time to come when he could walk hand in hand with them, carry one of them on his back, take them to places publicly and simply act like a family whenever he felt like it rather than only in secret. It didn’t help that _Bail_ could do that and he seemed to only take more pleasure from the fact. Bail only to readily took the children to places and indulged them in public and every moment had Anakin wishing he could slice Bail in half.

He hated how Bail could so easily bring smiles to their faces, particularly Leia’s. He hated how deeply rooted the man was and how Padmé didn’t mind at all. Anakin had tried multiple times to convince Bail to stop but the Emperor wasn’t easily scared. Anakin was fairly sure nothing short of killing Bail would stop him from interacting with his children and that was out of the question. Obi-Wan had already promised to kill whoever killed Bail and Anakin didn’t doubt his former Master for a second.

Still, there was one small saving grace which became clear when Anakin confronted Bail again.

“I may not be able to get rid of you but I swear to god if you ever hurt them I will break this truce and murder you in front of the entire Senate.”

Bail usually laughed, getting clear enjoyment out of Anakin’s discomfort, but he easily caught onto the change in Anakin’s tone. Anakin was saying much more than his words and Bail could pick that up. With a slight snarl, the man shocked the younger by spitting in his face.

“I’m a masochist. Not a fucking child molester,” Bail hissed. He grabbed Anakin by the collar of his robes and continued, “I love those two like they were my own and I will do everything to keep them safe. If you’re worried about someone hurting them, look at yourself and your unchecked rage.”

With that, Bail had pushed him away and for once, Anakin didn’t try and retaliate.

Because a small part of Anakin knew that Bail was right, that his rage was dangerous. Despite how much power he could cultivate, he still didn’t have the control that Obi-Wan or Ahsoka held. There had been one moment when Padmé had angered him, he couldn’t even remember what it had been about, but he’d very nearly choked her to death for it.

Padmé had simply laughed when her voice had come back, likely finding even more enjoyment in the fact that it hadn’t been pretend. But for Anakin, it was a rather terrifying realization that was only brought up again with Bail’s words.

He’d acted without thinking before, particularly as Vader. And as Vader, there were no consequences, not really. He could do as he pleased, simply let the anger run wild, and there was certainly a part of Anakin that enjoyed that. Otherwise he wouldn’t put the suit on every day. He could just as easily protect Padmé from the shadows. Instead, he’d chosen the mask and the freedom that came with it.

And despite how much he hated the man, Anakin had to be grateful to Bail in some small part for making him realize that. However, he wasn’t sure if the realization would help. Yes, eventually he could put Vader away and simply be Anakin, but when that happened, was it possible that Vader would still come with him? By that point, the simple persona would likely have ingrained itself deeper into his subconscious and then he might do exactly as Bail had said, hurt someone he loved.

Anakin never spoke of his doubts, of his worries. He didn’t see Obi-Wan or Ahsoka enough to feel comfortable connecting with them, and he knew Padmé would laugh it off. She’d take his words seriously, but the threat of death looming over her head would only rile her up and not in a scared way. Such reactions sometimes made Anakin miss the façade that he had fallen for all those years ago.

There was still love in her, so much love. But the thought of their children becoming rivals only made her laugh and Anakin’s anger only made her smile.

He simply wished for the day when the mask of Vader could be put away for good, even if its form lingered over time. Maybe then things would feel more right and he would feel like a father and could truly be Padmé’s husband.

Anakin hoped for that. But sometimes even deeper wants rested in the back of his mind, and sometimes he wished he’d never welcomed the darkness into his heart.


End file.
